ONTARIO – Dan Goossen and Kathy Duva, the respective promoters of Chris Arreola and Tomasz Adamek, agreed this week that the loser of Saturday’s showdown between the heavyweight contenders would not be out of the title picture.

But a victory was probably more necessary for Arreola than for Adamek because Arreola already lost one bid for a championship when he was stopped after 10 rounds by Vitali Klitschko last September.

Adamek could afford a loss more because the former light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion only had two heavyweight fights going in.

Well, after 12 thrilling rounds, Adamek won a majority decision, much to the chagrin of thousands of Arreola fans at Citizens Business Bank Arena who roundly booed the decision. Tony Crebbs scored it even, 114-114; Barry Druxman gave it to Adamek, 115-113; and Joseph Pasquale had Adamek winning, 117-111.

Arreola’s face did appear more battered than Adamek’s. He was also cut over the left eye with an accidental head-butt.

There were no knockdowns.

“I agree with the decision,” Arreola said. “Adamek did what he wanted, I did what I wanted. I thought I had him in the fifth round (when he sent Adamek reeling with a stiff jab).

“He head-butted me a lot. I got buzzed by his head-butts. He beat me. I hurt my hand in the fifth round, my left hand. But I kept going. After the ninth or 10 th, I hurt it real bad again.”

Adamek dedicated this fight to Polish president Lech Kaczynski, his wife Maria and several other of the country’s high-ranking politicians who lost their lives in a plane crach April 10.

“This was for me the toughest fight I ever fight,” said Adamek, who had hundreds of Polish fans in the stands. “This is why I believe I can be world champion.”

Through nine rounds, the fight appeared very close, although Arreola had twice sent Adamek reeling with tremendous jabs.

Adamek (41-1) had fought plenty through six rounds, but he spent much of rounds 7, 8 and 9 running quite a bit. He landed punches, but his antics caused Arreola to stop and shake his head as if to say, ‘Come on.”

Arreola (28-2) came charging at Adamek in the 10 th and landed several hard punches to the head. An uppercut seemed to make Adamek’s eyes go funny, but he stayed on his feet. Adamek fought back gallantly, but it was Arreola’s round.

Arreola stunned Adamek again in the 11 th round, but Adamek – showing uncanny mettle – definitely won the second half of the round over an Arreola that appeared very tired.

At round’s end, the hundreds of Polish fans and thousands of Arreola’s fans cheered wildly as they were being treated to a rare spectacular fight in what used to be boxing’s bread-and-butter division.

The first two rounds appeared very close, but Adamek seemed to be the clear winner in the third round. He would land a clean right cross, then quickly get out of harm’s way. Adamek landed a couple of crisp jabs and a short left hook. Arreola countered with a right-left combination, but it was not enough to steal the round.

Arreola came back and seemed to win the fourth round, although it was close. He landed a couple of hard punches early in the round, but Adamek came back and landed three shots to the face of Arreola. Arreola was not fazed, but Adamek was boxing well.

Arreola sent Adamek reeling across the ring and into the ropes with a Larry Holmes-type left jab midway through the fifth round. Arreola went after Adamek, but wasn’t able to do much more damage. Adamek, showing significant courage, came back in the tail end of the round to land a couple of solid blows.

Arreola again hurt Adamek with two telephone-pole jabs in the sixth, sending Adamek stumbling in reverse and Arreola’s fans into a frenzy. Adamek, however, retailiated with a nice combination to the head.

Adamek was warned for hitting low in the round, and Arreola sustained a cut near his left eye as the result of an acccidental head-butt.

Arreola wasn’t able to get much going in the seventh round and Adamek landed a clean left hook to the head. It didn’t bother Arreola, but it scored.